The European Parliament’s adopting the Sargentini report has been a “petty revenge by pro-migration politicians”, the Hungarian foreign minister told a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday, following the EP vote. Meanwhile, a Fidesz MEP said the decision is “legally invalid” since it was approved through a breach of voting rules.

“Hungary and the Hungarian people have been convicted because we have proven that migration is not needed and it can be stopped,” Szijjártó said.

Szijjártó went on to say that the result of the vote was “fraudulent” and insisted that under European agreements abstentions should have been counted as votes against adopting the report. He added that the Hungarian government would study legal remedy options.

Szijjártó said the EP decision is “another clear evidence that pro-migration politicians have a massive majority” in the EP.

We knew but today it has been proven that pro-migration politicians are in a majority in the European People’s Party, too.”.

Approval invalid?

The report authored by Green MEP Judith Sargentini says there is a “clear risk” of a serious breach by Hungary of the values of the European Union and calls for the Article 7 procedure, which ultimately suspends a member state’s voting rights, to be opened. The report was approved with 448 votes in favour, 197 against and 48 abstentions.

MEP Jozsef Szajer also said the decision was “a petty revenge by pro-migration politicians… Hungary has been condemned because they know that it would never accept pro-migrant policies.”

The report is a “show-trial indictment based on lies”, one full of mistakes and distorted facts, he said.

A majority of the issues addressed in the report do not fall under EU jurisdiction, 13 of the 69 critical remarks have already been settled, and there are ongoing infringement procedures regarding many others, he said.